Corset-clasp.



No. 840,918. PATENTED JAN. 8, 1 907.

G. H. CUNNINGHAM. CORSET CLASP.

APPLICATION FILED MARB, 19.06.

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w i E 1 Z 1 1 1 1 E {6 0 0 i 0 6 X 6 g i N z fi W 042 @d/mifi i M attuned UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. CLARA H. CUNNINGHAM, or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA.

CORSET-CLASP- Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedJan. 8, 1907.

Application filed March 8. 1906- Serial No. 304,958.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLARA H. CUNNING- HAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CorsetClasps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improved means for locking fastening stays or clasps of corsets so that the corset cannot become accidentally unhooked.

In the ordinary form of corset-clasp one stay is provided on its outer face with a se ries of laterally-projecting eyes, which lap over onto the opposing stay and are provided with keyhole-slots which engage a corresponding series of headed studs or hooking devices projecting from the front face of said opposing stay. The stays are thus held edge to edge when the fastening devices are engaged and the stays are held apart by the outward pressure of the body upon the corset; but by pressing the stays toward one another, so that their adjacent or meeting edges slightly overlap, the studs may be dis engaged from the eyes to unfasten the corset. Frequently, especially when the corset is worn by a stout person, a movement of the body will cause a relative movement of the stays, which will result in the unfastening of the stays at the top or bottom, thus causing discomfort and annoyance to the wearer. To overcome this trouble, I provide upon one of the stays a lateral projection which, after the fastening devices havebeen engaged, may be sprung over the end of the opposing stay and will then hold the studs within the eyes and hold the stays edge to edge and prevent such relative movement of the stays as would permit them to become unhooked.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a front view of a pair of corset-stays connected toether by the ordinary fastening devices and ocked together at their lower ends, but not locked at their upper ends, the locking tongues or projections in this instance being secured to the stay, which carries the fastening hooks or studs. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the stays locked at both ends. Fig. 3 is a front view of one end of the clasp shown in Figs. 1 and 2, illustrating the manner in which the locking projection on one stay is sprung over the edge of the opposing stay to lock or unlock the clasp. Fig. 4 is a front view of a corsetclasp in which the locking devices are secured to the stay carrying the fasteningeyes, the stays in this view being unlocked at both ends. Fig. 5 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 4, but showing the stays locked at both ends.

Referring to Figs. 1, '2, and 3 of the drawings, A and B indicate a pair of ordinary corset-fastening stays or clasps, the member A having a series of headed studs or hooks 1 projecting from its outer face and suitably spaced apart and the member B having a corresponding series of eyes 2 secured to it, these eyes projecting laterally from the member B and adapted to overlap the member A and engage the studs or hooks 1. Each eye has a keyhole-slot consisting of a circular opening 3, adjacent to the edge of the member B, through which the head of the opposing stud may be inserted or removed, and a slot 4, extending laterally from the circular opening, the arrangement being such that when the stays are arranged edge to edge, as shown in the drawings, the studs will extend through the slots, and the heads on the studs being wider than the slots the members will remain fastened unless moved relatively to one another so that the stays slightly overlap and the heads on the studs are brought into register with the circular openings. These fastening devices, which are in common use, frequently become unhooked by movements of the wearer, which bring the studs at either end of the-corset into alinement with the circular openings in the eyes.

In order to prevent the accidental unhooking of the clasps or stays, I provide at one or both ends of the clasp a locking device consisting of a tongue secured to one member of the clasp and which overlaps the other member when the corset is fastened and prevents the hooks from becoming disengaged from the eyes.

In Figs. 1 and 2 laterally-projecting tongues or looking devices 5 and 6 are secured to the member A at its upper and lower ends, respectively. In Fig. 1 the tongue 6 is shown extending over thefront side of the member B and the fastening devices of the two members are connected together, but the upper locking device or tongue 5, as shown in dotted lines, is at the rear of the member B. Where two locking devices are employed, as shown in said figure, one of them-as, for instance, the member 6may, in fastening the corset, first be made to overlap the membre B, as shown, and the fastening devices 1 2 may then be connected together, after which the upper ends of the members A and B are given a slight twisting movement, as illustrated in Fig. 3, which will permit the free end of the tongue 5 to pass the edge of the member B, and when the ends of the members are released the tongue 5 will overlap the member B on its front side, as shown in Fig. 2. It will be evident from an inspection of Fig. 2 that the tongues 5 and 6 will hold the meeting edges of the stays in alinement and hold the studs 1 within the slots in the eyes 2, so that the stays cannot become unfastened except by again pressing outwardly and slightly twisting the members of the clas at one end, as before, to bring the tongue at tiiat end again to the rear of one member of the clasp, as shown at the upper end of Fig. 1. When this is done, the stays may be moved relatively to one another at the end where the locking device has been released, so as to bring the heads on the studs in line with the circular openings in the eyes to unfasten the corset.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown the locking devices 7 and 8 attached to the member B instead of to the member A, as in Figs. 1 and 2. In Fig. 4 the members are shown connected by the fastening devices; but the tongues or locking devices have not been sprung over the opposing member A. In Fig. 5 the free ends of the tongues are in the locking position at the rear of the member A. Where the tongues are attached to the member B, carrying the eyelets, as in these figures, the members are locked to ether by pressing their ends forward an sli htly twisting their meeting edges outward in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 3 and then permitting the tongues or looking devices to pass behind the member A and press said latter member out- Wardly against the eyes which overlap it. This, it will be observed, holds the pins or studs outwardly within the slots and holds the meeting edges of the two members in alinement, so that one stay cannot overlap the other. The heads of the studs, therefore, cannot come into register with the circular openings in the eyes and the stays cannot become accidentally unfastened.

Where the clasp is provided at one or both ends with my improved locking device, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, the fastening or unfastening of the clasp may be commenced at either end or at any intermediate point.

The tongues must be located at suflicient distances beyond the ends of the series of fastening devices to permit the ends of the stays to bend and the tongues to be sprung over the opposing stay, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

What I claim is 1. A corset-clasp comprising two stays,

the stay and at a suflicient distance beyond the series of fastening devices to permit the tongue to be sprung over the opposing stay after said fastening devices have been engaged.

2. A corset-clasp comprising two stays, one having a series of studs on one side and the. other having a'series of laterally-projecting fastening devices adaptedto engage said studs and revent relative endwise movement and ateral separation of the stays, when the stays are arranged edge to edge, one of said stays having also a laterally-projecting tongue located at one end of the stay and at a suflicient distance beyond the series of fastening devices to permit the tongue to be sprung over the opposing stay after said fastening devices have been engaged, and said clasp having also means at the op osite end of said series of fastening devices 'or looking the stays together.

3. A corset-clasp comprising a pair of stays, one stay having a series of laterallyprojecting eyes adapted to overlap the opposing stay, and said opposing stay having on one side a series of studs, said eyes and studs forming fastening devices adapted to engage and prevent, relative endwise movement and lateral separation of the stays when the latter arearranged edge to edge, one of said stays having also a lateral projection located at one end of the stay and at a sufiicient distance beyond the end of the series of fastening devices to permit the projection to be sprung over the opposite stay after said fastening devices have been engaged.

I 4. A corset-clasp comprising a pair of stays, one stay having a series of laterallyprojecting eyes adapted to overlap the opposing stay, and said opposing stay having on one side a series of studs, said eyes and studs forming fastening devices adapted to engage and prevent relative endwise movement and lateral separation of the stays when the latter are arranged edge to edge, one of said stays having also a lateral projection located at one end ofthe stay and at a sufficient distance beyond the end of the series of fastening devices to permit the projection to be sprung over the opposite stay after said fastening devices have been engaged, and said clasp having means at the opposite end of the series of fastening dev1ces for locking the stays together. i

ing eyes adapted to engage said studs and prevent relative endwise movement and lateral separation of the stays when the latter are arranged edge to edge, said first-mentioned stay having also a laterally-projecting tongue at each end, said tongues being located at a sufficient distance beyond the ends of the series of fastening devices to perrnit the tongues to be sprung over the opposing stay When the studs are in engagement with the eyes.

6. A corset-clasp comprising two stays, one having a series of studs on one side and v the other having a series of laterally-projecting fastening devices adapted to engage said studs and prevent relative endwise movement and lateral separation of the stays when the stays are arranged edge to edge,

one of said stays having also a tongue projecting laterally from the stay on the same side of the stay as the fastening devices thereon, said tongue being located at one end of the stay and at a suflicient distance beyond the end of the series of fastening de vices to permit the tongue to be sprung over the opposing stay after said fastening devices have been engaged.

7. A corset-clasp comprising two stays, one having a series of studs on one side and the other having a series of laterally-projecting fastening devices adapted to engage said studs and prevent relative endwise movement and lateral separation of the stays when the stays are arranged edge to edge, one of said stays having also a pair of tongues projecting laterallyfrom the stay on the same side of the stay as the. fastening devices thereon, said tongues being located at the ends of the stay and at a sufficient distance beyond the ends of the series of fastening devices to permit the tongues to be sprung over the opposing stay after said fastening devices have been engaged.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLARA H. CUNNINGHAlVI.

Witnesses ROBERT WATSON, M. A. W001). 

